(1) Eco-Spirituality

Chapter 4.  Eco-Spirituality

Flying up to San Francisco I had to smile at myself.  Never did I

imagine that I would be living in the Bay Area, especially in the

midst of all the High Tech pioneer companies that really defined

my youth when it came to powerful computers, miniaturization,

and communication viewers.  Even more boggling to me, I was

now a monk who would be sitting square in the middle of all this

incredible creativity!  I felt like a time traveler, moving out

of the monastic realm with its ancient roots into the milieu of

futuristic thinking.

After settling into my room at Stanford, I took the opportunity to

sight see via public transport.  These massive companies in

Silicon Valley seemed like modern temples--and, indeed, in

a way they were!  Our New Millennium is built upon a world

of High Tech that nearly prescribes the livelihood of billions

of people.  That meant "me" as well, as I thought about those

advanced computers and communication devices that were

part and parcel of our study and office back at the monastery.

And returning to my room, I instinctually pulled out my miniature

devices that would keep me in contact with the monastery.

With these devices I could share Lauds and Vespers with my

community back in the monastery chapel.  I could also participate

in the periodic monastic conferences that were held, keeping

up with the activities of the monastery.  And above all, I could

keep in touch with the Master of Monastic Studies as well as

our Rector.  It would seem that no place on Earth was far away,

unless you chose to block it out.  And periodically, yes, I would,

But I had to attend to the business-at-hand the next day, meeting

with my academic mentor.  We talked about my focus, what 

would be my selections when it came to the courses or seminars

I might take over the coming year.  It proved to be a good session,

helping me to make my choices in advance.

My Stanford mentor was particularly interested in my having

been an architect who had trained in the area of Environmental

Design.  Alas, I had to tell him that I hadn't had the chance to

move into this particular field before I moved into the Novitiate.

On the other hand, perhaps one day I'll be back working as an

architect--and, then, perhaps I might be able to get some

experience in this important field.

Mainly I felt that I needed specific training in Ecological Systems

as well as the continuing challenges posed by the environmental

changes we had experienced the past fifty years.  And, finally,

if possible I would like to beam-in on the issue of Sustainability

when it came to California.  Of course the two main concerns

for the Golden State were Energy and Water.

I surprised myself, in that suddenly it seemed that I had a

full plate of interests that likely was far too much for the one-year

program I was about to undertake at Stanford.

Nonetheless, my mentor was pleased and assisted me in

devising an overall plan for the year.  First we had to choose

the two major courses in Religious Studies that I would take

over the year.  Happily, we found them!  One course was

about exploring beyond the "boundaries of traditional religious

practices," and the other would allow the student to "illuminate

how we think about religion now and for the future."

And, additionally, I could monitor a class offered in the

Geological and Environmental Sciences Department that

focused on the issue of "energy and water resources."

I couldn't believe how these combinations of courses along with

my projected individual research projects suddenly seemed to fall

so nicely into place.  I seriously felt that the Spirit was definitely

leading me down this path when it came to Eco-Spirituality--

making it so incredibly obvious, considering the ease in which I

found my way into this excellent Stanford program.

As it turned out, I zipped through my Master's at Stanford

before I knew it.  The year went too fast.  I wrote some

research papers that related to my course work.

One paper proved very helpful for me, in that I was able to write

down what I really felt about Religion.  As I saw it then, when at

Stanford, it seemed static and stale.  It didn't relate to those issues

facing us, not only spiritually but also realistically.  I felt that if

Religion were to impact on our society, it had to address our 

concerns far more directly.  For me, the main concern involved

how we view God or Ultimate Reality.  Forever so long, down

through the centuries, our god imagery hadn't evolved much.

It still circulated on historical figures who lived in the Ancient

World, and we frankly hadn't moved the imagery into our own

Times, into the Modern World.  Indeed, our god imagery seemed

to keep God "out there," not in the world much at all.

As for the Future, about how our god imagery might shift and

change, well I felt that God had to be smack dab in the middle

of the world in which we lived, here and now, concerned over

the issues that faced us, working with us, and that we, in turn,

needed to understand God from the perspective of our modern

knowledge-base.  This meant moving into Evolutionary Theology,

into Natural Theology--both of which connected with not only

Evolution and the New Cosmology--but also our understanding

of Deep Ecology which was about a universal system of 

"relationship."  Everything, everybody was connected, related.

We and our god imagery, within and without, needed to be all

about connection, completeness.

In my research paper I used the analogy that the Historical Jesus

made, about the "Vine and the Branches."  That analogy was not

about a God who was disconnected from the world.  Rather it

was  a "horticultural" analogy, representative really of the

agricultural world in which Jesus lived.  He was close to the

Earth and to the people who worked its land and its waters.

As for "exploring beyond traditional religious practices," that

seemed easy.  I wrote nearly a tome about the Millennial

Monastery, about its new outlook when it came to the

monastic expression.  It was about integrating the old with

the new, so to speak.  It was about the Benedictine Tradition

which the monastery followed, how we examine the different

elements of this great tradition and cast them in a new light,

in a way that connects with our own time and concerns, without

diminishing the original thoughts of St. Benedict.

For example, for centuries the Benedictine Tradition talked of

the "School for the Lord's Service."  It essentially meant that 

the monastery, itself, was this school--and it was not a school

as we tend to think of such.  Rather it was a school where the

monks not only lived up front with one another, a condition--if

you will--that prompted the individual monk to build his or her

character towards the "Christ Life."  It was part and parcel of

Conversatio Morum, a lifetime pursuit towards conversion into

a finer Christian.  But, this process was undertaken in-house,

behind the walls of the monastery.

But the modern Millennial monk saw this School for the Lord's

Service not only existing within the monastery, but also outside

in the world.  Millennial monks "served" the Lord of the Universe

in the midst of Creation, wherever and however they may be 

called by the Spirit.  And, no, it was not about proselytizing.

It was strictly about Service, in whatever way their particular

profession allowed for such.  Simplified, it was about building-up

not only people but God's Creation.

Upon returning to the monastery my preparatory work continued.

Brother Philip gave me my first real assignment as a monk,

working into becoming a retreat master in Eco-Spirituality.  He

expected a synopsis of how I would present a weekend class

to visitors on this subject.

Hence my rector sent me scurrying off to my rooms, where I spent

a good two weeks trying to work through such an outline.  How to

start was the most difficult part.  Indeed, I spent more than a couple

of days sweating over how to begin.  Eventually, I decided to ease

into this class by quietly discussing the history of the earlier

Benedictine monastics when it came to their connection with Nature.

After doing some research, I discovered that the very kernel of

ancient Benedictine prayer, the Psalms, contained many images

of Nature.  And moving into the medieval period of the Benedictines,

I found the great Abbess Hildegard of Bingen.  She not only was a

theologian and philosopher, but was an early cosmologist who believed

that human nature was a microcosm of Creation.  Above all, I focused

on her poem "Oh Ignis Spiritus Paracliti."  To quote:

"Oh fire of the Holy Spirit,

life of the life of every creature,

holy are you in giving life to forms...

Oh boldest path,

penetrating into all places,

in the heights, on earth,

and in every abyss,

you bring and bind all together,

From you clouds flow, air flies,

Rocks have their humours,

Rivers spring forth from the waters

And earth wears her green vigour

Oh Ignis Spiritus Paracliti."

Then, historically, I moved on to the Cistercian Order, founded 

by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who lived in the 12th century c.e.

The Cistercians also lived according to the Rule of St. Benedict,

hence they became part of the Benedictine Tradition.  St. Bernard

emphasized harmony between the natural beauty of the monastery

site and the monastic life within it.  For him Nature needed in our

mind to become fertile and purposeful.  Hence irrigation projects

not only provided fish, but sport, and gardens provided not only

food but honest physical labor.  As has been put: " Creation repays

human care by aiding people physically and spiritually."

Moving on there were others--especially in more recent times--

pioneers who began edging into the movement that we have

come to know as Eco-Spirituality.  For example, there's the

Trappist Charles Cummings, the Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin,

the Passionist Thomas Berry, the Dominican and later Episcopalian

Matthew Fox, and the Franciscan scientist Ilia Delio.

Finally, I felt that we could point out the special gardens we had

constructed right here at the Millennial Monastery California.  How

we had integrated the plant material with the natural environ

that surrounded us.

Of course there was much more to come as I slowly eased into

presenting an Eco-Spirituality retreat.  I naturally emphasized the

long held concept of Stewardship.  But especially, too, I began to

get into the application of Scientific Cosmology, Natural Theology,

as well as Eco-Spirituality with the issues that have seriously

challenged our world in the 21st century.  Mainly these issues

were Environmental and Ecological Health and Sustainability.

After about a half-year of gingerly giving a few of these weekend

retreats on Eco-Spirituality, my Rector called me into his office.

I hadn't done too badly with the Eco-Spirituality retreat, so I figured

that Brother Philip was probably going to ask me to develop another

retreat format.  Wrong, totally wrong!  Was I ever in for a big surprise.

Easing me into a comfortable chair the Rector said that after

discussing my future with the head of the Millennial Monastery 

in Arizona it was decided that after I take my permanent vows as 

a monk I should return to my work as an architect.  As for my

Eco-Spirituality retreat, I would continue to give it periodically.

But all that my ears could seem to hear was the continuous

ringing of the word "architect."  I nearly swooned with joy.  It had

been close to three years since I had practiced my former

profession, and I wondered aloud how I might re-enter the

field.  Brother Philip laughed, and said "not to worry."  There

was a plan.

Again my ears perked up.  The plan was this--the lead monks of

both the Arizona and California monasteries decided that it was

time to erect yet another Millennial monastery.  They had chosen

a site in South Dakota.  And now they considered me their

"resident architect," if you will.  So--not only with the planned

monastery for South Dakota, but with future monastic houses

they hoped to build over the next 20 years or so--I would be in

charge as "their" architect.

This meant reconnecting with my old firm in San Diego.  The 

Rector felt that when I put a new monastery project (and the 

promise of even more such projects in future) on their plate, my

old managers would be happy to take me back into their firm.

Of course Brother Philip proved correct in this, as we both

happily walked out of my old office onto the busy streets of

San Diego.

There was a "plus," too!  Not only had I been re-hired to be the

primary architect for the new Millennial Monastery Dakota with

a battery of the firm's personnel and resources supporting me--

additionally, Brother Philip subtly but firmly made mention that

surely their management would also allow me to eventually start

acquiring some project experience in Environmental Design.

With monastery "dollar bills" gleaming in their eyes, my old

managers were most compliant.

Nonetheless, there was another priority that a short while later

I fulfilled.  I took my final permanent vows as a Millennial monk.